West Sweden: Cleantech companies in West Sweden are establishing international contacts through Ecoex

Almost 300 Cleantech companies in West Sweden are developing their international contacts though joint projects in Ecoex. The objective is to increase exports, and to achieve this they are arranging both exhibitions and study visits and trips by delegations.

To keep track of regional expertise, West Swedish Environmental Export (Ecoex) has an exports developer in each of its four component regions:  Fyrbodal, Skaraborg, Sjuhärad and Gothenburg. Its network also contains consultants in several possible export countries. Which has turned out to be a key to success.
 

Found partners

In autumn 2010 — a couple of months before the project is due to end — several companies in the network have found new international partners. Some of them have also had time to close deals.

For example, two of the six Swedish companies that met 14 Spanish actors in Barcelona last year have started discussions on cooperation with Spanish companies. Another example is the West Swedish company that has established a presence in the US only a few months after the Ecoex contact person on the ground picked up the need for a particular technology.
However it generally takes much longer to find the right partner and Dan Samuelsson, the project manager, says that many contacts made during the project period have not had time to develop into business deals.

“It is not unusual to have lead times of 5—6 years," he says, giving the example of a French city that is looking for eco-efficient solutions for a new housing area.

“Our contact person kept in touch for three years until the time was right for eight Swedish companies to present themselves and their products in summer 2010. If everything goes well, one or more of them may get a contract in a year or two."

 
Targeted activities

After having initially participated in fairs and other broad forums, Ecoex is now focusing on targeted measures, often with a concrete business opportunity further down the road. As a rule these activities cover fewer companies, but are more accurate.

“Instead of travelling with large delegations we work with those that are best equipped to find partners and do business in the country concerned."

The project has received just under SEK 8 million from the European Regional Development Fund, but its activities will not come to an end when the project funding runs out. However, it is still too early to say exactly what shape the continuation will take.

“We may perhaps break up the export developer´s geographical links and work on substantive areas instead or we may mix these two ways of working," says Dan Samuelsson, adding that international breadth and cultural diversity are success factors that will be developed.

Read the article in swedish